The Place of Music in the XXth Century Philosophy

Abstract

This article aims to give a brief overview of the most significant philosophical approaches to twentieth century music, taking into account the changes in aesthetic theory until today. Four perspectives characteristic of 20th century musical aesthetics are established. These perspectives have been adopted by the philosophers of music and culture Adorno, Mukarovský, Wittgenstein, Langer, and Foucault, by the musicologists and music theorists Hanslick, Jankélévitch, and Cook, and by the musicians Schönberg, Stravinski, and Luis de Pablo. These perspectives allow us to conclude that music is an object which cannot be explained, but they recognize that philosophy is still a valid discourse, as long as it is limited to its function of guidance and not to its explanatory function. Philosophical thought has an important role in perceiving artwork, which allows its enrichment.